S/PV.8169 Security Council

In accordance with rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure, I invite the representative of the Central African Republic to participate in this meeting. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. Members of the Council have before them document S/2018/73, which contains the text of a draft resolution submitted by France. I wish to draw the attention of Council members to document S/2017/1023, which contains a letter dated 6 December 2017 from the Panel of Experts on the Central African Republic extended pursuant to resolution 2339 (2017) addressed to the President of the Security Council. The Council is ready to proceed to the vote on the draft resolution before it. I shall put the draft resolution to the vote now.

The draft resolution received 15 votes in favour. The draft resolution has been adopted unanimously as resolution 2399 (2018). I now give the floor to those members of the Council who wish to make statements after the vote.

France welcomes the unanimous adoption of resolution 2399 (2018), renewing the sanctions regime on the Central African Republic. Following the adoption of resolution 2387 (2017), renewing the mandate of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) last November, this resolution is a new sign of the Council’s full attention to the situation in the Central African Republic. In that context, that I would like to underline three points. First, the resolution similarly renews the measures concerning the arms embargo, the travel bans and the assets freeze. This system is still very relevant in the light of the current situation in the Central African Republic. Armed groups are, unfortunately, still present in a large part of the territory and continue to obtain supplies through illicit flows of arms and ammunition from neighbouring countries. They also exploit the illicit trafficking of natural resources to enrich themselves. In this context, it is absolutely essential that all Member States come together to fully respect the sanctions regime so that it can be effectively implemented in the service of peace in the Central African Republic. In addition, the exemption and notification procedures remain effective tools allowing for the Central African defence and security forces to be trained, equipped and armed, while limiting the risk of arms proliferation. They also support the Central African authorities in their security sector reform process and in their strategy of extending State authority. To conclude on this point, it is important to support the efforts of MINUSCA in the fight against arms trafficking. To that end, the tasks of the working group established within the Mission are specified so that it can contribute to a better implementation of the embargo. For example, it will be able to transmit recommendations concerning weapons seizures when trafficking routes have been identified. Secondly, the resolution also sheds light on incitement to violence, whether ethnic, religious or against MINUSCA. Such incitement is a scourge for the Central African Republic and at the root of violence that claims too many casualties, among both the civilian population and the Blue Helmets. In that context, the perpetrators of these incitements to violence must now know that their actions will not go unpunished. Beyond the action undertaken by the Central African justice system and international justice, the sanctions regime on the Central African Republic will now punish individuals who incite to violence, given their potential to undermine peace, stability and security in the Central African Republic. There can be no lasting peace in the Central African Republic if such incitement continues, and the Security Council intends to assume its responsibilities. In the same vein, I would also like to point out that attacks on humanitarian workers are now recognized as a designation criterion equal to, for example, attacks on MINUSCA. The proliferation of such attacks, which make the Central African Republic one of the most dangerous countries in the world for that profession, is unacceptable. Once again, we have sent a strong signal to those who would attack the women and men whose work is indispensable for people in need. Finally, the resolution paves the way for the development of criteria to assess the impact of the arms embargo on the Central African Republic. While we are not considering, in the short term, a loosening of the arms embargo, taking into account the current situation in the country, this is a question of showing that the arms embargo will be able to evolve at the right time, including in the light of progress of security sector reform. In the specific case of the Central African Republic, sanctions are obviously not an end in themselves, but a means to contributing to our shared goal, which is the stabilization of and the return of lasting peace to the Central African Republic. In that context, I will conclude by reiterating France’s full support for President Faustin Archange Touadéra, as well as for the African Initiative for Peace and Reconciliation in the Central African Republic, in their efforts to reach a comprehensive political agreement and reconciliation of all those of the Central African Republic.

My delegation welcomes today the Security Council’s unanimous adoption of resolution 2399 (2018), which extends the sanctions regime against the Central African Republic for one year. We hope that the implementation of its provisions will allow for significant progress to be made in resolving the crisis in that brotherly country. As Chair of the Committee established pursuant to resolution 2127 (2013) concerning the Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire thanks all delegations for their flexibility and the constructive spirit that led to a balanced and consensual text, which was accepted by all. My delegation reiterates its readiness to work with the Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic of the Congo and all Member States, in particular the countries of the region, in implementing the present sanctions regime, with a view to finding lasting solutions to the serious crisis affecting the Central African Republic. In the light of the many remaining challenges to be faced, renewing the sanctions regime against the Central African Republic appears to be amply justified. Indeed, efforts aimed at the gradual restoration of State authority throughout the country are being undermined by the destabilizing activity of armed groups, which negatively affect the peace and reconciliation process under way in the Central African Republic. Today’s resolution seeks to strike a balance between the need to encourage the Central African State to ensure its sovereignty throughout the country and the imperative to disable armed groups whose destructive capacity has well been established. In that regard, the Côte d’Ivoire welcomes the 2127 Committee’s commitment to carefully considering developments concerning the arms embargo within the overall framework of security sector reform, as well as the work of the Central African authorities to improve the security situation. Moreover, my country welcomes steps made towards operationalizing the National Commission to Combat the Proliferation and Illegal Movement of Small Arms and Light Weapons. Through resolution 2399 (2018), the Committee has added criteria for imposing sanctions, including inflammatory speech of an ethnic, religious or other nature, and incitement to violence, as well as attacks against humanitarian workers. Based on its recent experience, Côte d’Ivoire reaffirms its belief that sanctions, when strictly respected and imposed, constitute an effective mechanism that can complement the Council’s actions in resolving conflicts that continue to face States. My country therefore encourages the Government of the Central African Republic and all stakeholders to persevere in their efforts to find a lasting solution to the crisis, and assures them of its full support for the definitive return of peace and stability in the Central African Republic. Lastly, Côte d’Ivoire calls for synergy among the Central African authorities, the States of the region and the United Nations, facilitated by the Group of Experts and the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic, with a view to effectively implementing the sanctions regime so as to find a lasting solution to the crisis in the Central African Republic.

The Kingdom of the Netherlands welcomes the unanimous adoption of resolution 2399 (2018). While the Central African Republic remains engulfed in crisis, the Security Council today has sent a strong message to those violating human rights and international humanitarian law that the world is watching them. In particular, the Kingdom of the Netherlands is concerned about religious and ethnic leaders and politicians in the Central African Republic who are using their power to incite violence and hatred among the people of that country. We call on them to end all forms of hate speech and to use their influence to build peace. The Kingdom of the Netherlands is also concerned about the increase in violence against humanitarian workers. Organizations like Médecins Sans Frontières have had to cease operations in some parts of the country, and the Central African Republic is today one of the most dangerous countries in the world for aid workers. Through today’s resolution, the Council honours those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in providing indispensable support to the people of the Central African Republic. Those who have perpetrated acts of violence against humanitarian workers cannot go unpunished. Sanctions alone will not resolve the crisis in the Central African Republic, and we call on all parties involved to commit to the peace process within the framework of the African Initiative for Peace and Reconciliation in the Central African. By renewing the sanctions regime through resolution 2399 (2018), which we adopted today, the Security Council is sending a strong message for peace.